Luke McCarthy and Eye Keep Smiling. Photo by Club Menangle
Champion reinsman Luke McCarthy has driven his fair share of well-performed horses throughout his illustrious career, but he claims that his star mare Eye Keep Smiling sits right near the top of the list.
Owned by Jackie Gibson from the Success Stud in Young, the daughter of Sweet Lou is on the verge of topping $700,000 in prizemoney, having won 26 of her from 37 race starts including three at Group 1 level.
The bonny mare is in the middle of a Queensland campaign, that to date has been flawless.
Both of her most recent victories have been at Albion Park where she scored in an open class mare’s Free For All on June 21, before taking out the listed classic, the Fleur De Lil Ladyship Stakes last Saturday night at in a 1:51.2 mile rate.
On that occasion, the five-year-old needed call on all of her reserves after being posted three wide for the opening five hundred metres and was then forced to the race in the death seatbefore staving off a late charge from Stenno to score by a head margin.
Tomorrow night at Albion Park, Eye Keep Smiling and McCarthy will be looking to add to their impressive record when they contest the $150,000 Group 1 Garrards Golden Girland having drawn ideally in gate two.
Facing a similar field to what she has defeated at her past two starts, McCarthy is confident that Eye Keep Smiling will take a power beating once again.
“She has come through both of her runs up here extremely well, and she is in great shape going into tomorrow night,” said McCarthy.
“We will try and be as positive as possible from the gate but there is some speed drawn all around her.
“Ideally, I want to have her as close as possible to the front runners, we will just have to play it by ear after the start.”
Albion Park is hosting a huge night of racing and McCarthy is well represented with Don Hugo taking his place in the Inter Dominion Pacing Final, Constantinople in the Trotting Inter Dominion Final and a two-pronged attack on the Queensland Derby with Hesitate and Mac Bon.
“It is a big night, and we are in the mix, hopefully we can get an even share of luck but I am happy with the way all of the team is tracking.”
